Joy back in the game for Jack McGrath: I wasn’t where I needed to be

Jack McGrath is back in a good place, enjoying his rugby once more and grateful for another opportunity to prove his worth to the Ireland cause.

The loosehead prop starts tomorrow’s Six Nations home game with Italy having got the nod ahead of Leinster squad-mate and rival Cian Healy for the green No1 jersey.

Healy had started last Saturday’s Six Nations opener in France, continuing his comeback from three seasons of injury and loss of form, during which time McGrath, now 28, had overtaken his senior partner in the race to be Joe Schmidt’s first-choice loosehead.